Freelance artist on a ‘Millet Mission’ to promote health, wealth
VISAKHAPATNAM: Moka Vijaya Kumar, a 50-year-old freelance artist from Visakhapatnam, discovered his passion for painting in his childhood itself. Over the years, his fascination grew into a profound dedication.
Currently employed as a Grade-1 employee in Indian Railways in Vizag, Kumar creates artworks on themes such as safety precautions, security measures, and railway networks, both old and new.
Inspired by the Millet Mission, introduced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to promote millet farming and consumption, Kumar began crafting portraits using millets. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he observed a lack of nutritious food and recognised the health benefits of millets. “Many Indians are unaware of the advantages of millets due to lack of proper knowledge. I chose this medium to draw public attention to the significance of millets,” he explained.
His first millet portrait depicted Modi. “At the G20 Summit held in Vizag, I displayed 16 millet portraits,” he said. Impressed by the artwork, he was invited by the government to showcase his creations at the G20 Summit held in Telangana, where he presented 38 portraits to agricultural ministers from different countries. Additionally, he exhibited 16 portraits illustrating the lives of farmers at the G20 Summit in New Delhi.

In 2017, Kumar began creating millet portraits reflecting Indian festivals and cultural themes, incorporating 20%medium colours in the background to enhance his artwork. Till date, he has created approximately 250 millet portraits, each requiring about 12 days to complete. He has named his rich collection ‘Health Art’ to emphasise the nutritional value of millets.
Kumar said he is yet to receive support from the State government or senior officials in Vizag to promote this unique art form.He has earned several prestigious accolades, including recognition from the World Book Union, International World Records, Noble Book of World Records, Asia Book of Records, India Book of Records, Miracle World Records, and Telugu Book of Records.
Looking ahead, Kumar plans to create millet portraits depicting the life stories of PM Modi and CM N Chandrababu Naidu. Additionally, he intends to craft portraits of US President Elect Donald Trump, inspired by Trump’s friendship with India and his appreciation for Indian culture and traditions. With Trump set to take the oath as US President on January 20, Kumar hopes to send these portraits to him.